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Last updated on Monday, December 17, 2018
(BLOOMINGTON) - Today, the newly formed Hospital Re-Use Steering Committee will convene for the first time to take the next steps in the process of re-envisioning the IU Health Bloomington Hospital property acquired by the City of Bloomington earlier this year.
This group of community stakeholders, consisting of representatives of a larger group that had met since early discussions of the hospital's move and new members, all appointed by Mayor John Hamilton, will meet from 1:30 to 3:00 pm in the McCloskey Conference Room (Rm. 135) at City Hall (401 North Morton Street).
During the meeting, committee members will receive copies of the final report issued by the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the national land use consultants who made a week-long site visit to Bloomington in April 2018 to study the existing hospital property on West Second Street and interview over 100 residents, business and nonprofit leaders, university representatives, and City officials. Recommendations from the report include the development of a range of affordable and market-rate housing, office and retail space, a community arts center, and green space while integrating the site into the surrounding neighborhoods through the reintroduction of the street grid, considerations of scale and setting, and connections to existing parks and trails.
"The hospital site represents a tremendous opportunity to reactivate this core section of the city," said Hamilton. "I am looking forward to hearing from and working with community members to help determine how this development can best foster Bloomington's long-term sustainability. "
Another recommendation of the ULI report encouraged the City to retain a master developer to manage the large-scale project. During Monday's meeting, steering committee members will hear presentations from two potential master developers selected from responses to a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) the City issued earlier this fall. While the terms of the City's purchase of the property from IU Health stipulated the demolition of the main hospital building, future uses of the Kohr Administrative Building and the existing parking garage are to be determined. Construction of the new IU Health Bloomington Regional Academic Health Center at the 45/46 Bypass is scheduled for completion by 2020. Demolition of the current structure is scheduled to occur after IU Health moves its operations to the new site.
Hamilton and longtime Indiana State Senator Vi Simpson will co-chair the steering committee, whose members include Lee Carmichael, Forrest Gilmore, Don Griffin, Cindy Kinnarney, Tina Peterson, Isabel Piedmont-Smith, Erin Predmore, Susan Rinne, and John West. In addition to identifying the master developer, committee members are tasked with forging public and private partnerships and engaging with local residents and business owners as the project proceeds.
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